Apparatus for dewatering and cleaning vegetables and the like



Nov. 16, 1954 E. o. BURLING ETAL APPARATUS FOR DEWATERING AND CLEANINGVEGETABLES AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001;. 2'7, 1950 135477/54 0. fiu/eu/va,

#42040 0. A/szsolv, INVENTORS.

Kiri fi Nov. 16, 1954 E, o. BURLING ETAL 2,694,489

APPARATUS FOR DEWATERING AND CLEANING VEGETABLES AND THE LIKE Filed Oct.27, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 H42040QN450M mmvroas.

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United States Patent APPARATUS FOR DEWATERING AND CLEANING VEGETABLESAND THE LIKE Eathel 0. Burling and Harold 0. Nelson, Toppenish, Wash.,assignors to California Packing Corporation, San Francisco, Calif., acorporation of New York Application October 27, 1950,,Serial No. 192,422

10 Claims. (Cl. 209-12) This invention relates to separation orclassification apparatus and has particular reference to a machine fordewatering and cleaning vegetables and the like.

One of the principal objects of our invention is to provide novel andimproved apparatus for dewatering whole kernel corn and removing thechafi and silks therefrom, preparatory to canning the corn, and fordewatering and cleaning other produce such as shelled peas, beans andthelike.

Another important object of our invention is to provide apparatus forcleaning whole kernel corn, which apparatus is adapted to be used withconventional vibrators of the type commonly used in the industry for thedewatering of corn, peas, etc.

Another object of our invention is to provide a machine of the characterdescribed which is simple in construction yet extremely effective inoperation to remove substantially all of the chaff and silks from thecorn with a very small loss of kernels.

Other objects and advantages of this invention it is believed will beapparent from the following detailed description of a preferredembodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of a preferred embodiment of our invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation taken substantially on the line 3--3of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation taken substantially on the line 44 ofFigure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional elevation illustrating theconstruction of the delivery and receiving ends of the individualcleaner plate members.

Figure 6 is a perspective elevation of a portion of one of the cleanerplate members.

Referring now to the drawings, the cleaner unit generally indicated 10which embodies our invention is illustrated in connection with avibrator mechanism 11 which is of the commercially available type usedfor screening various materials. The. vibrator includes a bed 12inclined slightly from the horizontal as shown and mounted upon leafsprings 13 which in turn are secured to a base member 14. Mountedtransversely of the bed is a sleeve 15 containing bearings (not shown)for the vibrator shaft 16. A pulley 17 is mounted on one end of theshaft and driven by suitable belting 18 from a motor (not shown). Thecentral portion (not shown) of the shaft is machined eccentrically toprovide an initial unbalanced eifect to vibrate the bed 12 upon thesprings 13. Adjustment in the intensity of vibrations is obtained byadjusting the position of the unbalancing wheels 19 secured to eitherend of the shaft. While this vibrator mechanism 11 is, of course, notitself a part of our invention, it has been described in some detailsince the particular vibratory effect achieved thereby is of importance,as will be pointed out more fully below.

The cleaner unit 10 incuudes a pair of substantially vertical sideplates 20 having horizontal legs 21. The outer portions of the legs 21are rolled upwardly as shown to be engaged by the pair of clamp members22 on the vibrator bed. Mounted to and extending between the side plates20 is a plate 23 which carries a dewatering screen 24 of more or lessconventional design. Extending from the plate 23 and coplanar therewithis a cleaner plate 25 preferably formed of sheet metal and having aforward or delivery end 26 which is rounded and bent downwardly and tothe rear. The plate 25. is further provided with downwardly extendingside wings 27 having apertures 28 for securing the plate to the sideplates 20. A transverse angle 29 may be secured to the underside of theplate to provide rigidity therefor.

Mounted in stepwise relation with the cleaner plate 25 is a pair ofcleaner plates 30 which are substantially identical with the cleanerplate 25 with the exception that the rear or receiving ends of theplates 30 are provided with upwardly directed lips 31. The plates 30 areprovided with rounded and downwardly directed delivery ends 32 and sidewings 33 similar to the delivery end 26 and wings 27. The delivery endsand receiving ends of the respective plates are spaced slightly as shownto provide transverse openings 34, and the plates 30 are adjustablymounted to vary the width of this opening. The plates 30 are secured tothe side plates 20 by means of bolts 35 which extend throughlongitudinal slots 36 in the side plates and through apertures 37 in thewings 33, the slots 36 permitting longitudinal movement of the plates 30with respect to the side plates 20.

The operation of the above described apparatus is as follows: The wholekernels of corn or other similar produce, along with whatever chaff andsilks or other foreign matter may be present, is washed or pumpedcontinuously through suitable piping (not shown) and into the hopper 40.The vibrator mechanism 11 is in operation and the action of the shaft 16and unbalancing wheels 19 causes the bed and the cleaner unit 10 to bevibrated upon the springs 13 in a back and forth as well as an up anddown motion. This vibrating action causes the solid kernels to rise tothe top of the mass as it travels across the screen and cleaner platesand the lighter silks and chaff to remain at the bottom of the mass. Asthe mass passes across the screen excess water drops therethrough. Asshown in Figure 5, as the dewatered mass proceeds along the cleaner unitand arrives at the delivery end 26 of the plate 25 the chaff and silktend to slide across the rounded portion of the delivery end anddownwardly through the lateral opening 34 where it is guided to the rearby the lip 31 and thence downwardly to a drain (not shown). While thebulk of the water is removed from the mass by the dewatering screen 24,some water adheres to the silk and chaff to assist in their clinging toand sliding over the delivery end of theplate. The kernels of corn beingheavier, are not thus affected by the remaining water and tend to jumpand hop with the vibratory motion and hence bridge the lateral openingand fall onto the next cleaner plate 30. The upwardly directed lips 31tend to prevent the kernels from hoppin rearwardlv into the lateralopening. Any of the chaff and silks which is not separated from thekernels between the plate 25 and the next adiacent plate 30 will besenarated between the pair of plates 30, or if necessary additionalplates may be used.

While We have shown and described a specific embodiment of ourinvention, we do not limit ourselves to the exact details of theconstruction set forth, and the invention embraces such changes,modifications and equivalents of the parts and their formation andarrangement as come within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for dewatering whole kernel corn and removing the chaffand silks therefrom, the combination of a plurality of plates mounted indownward stepwise relation, dewatering screen mounted in an aperture inthe first and uppermost of said plates, each of said plates having adelivery end and a receiving end, the delivery end of each plate beingrear-wardly spaced from the receiving end of the next adjacent plateforming a lateral opening between the plates, and means for vibratingthe plates whereby the kernels, together with the chaff and silks, aremoved longitudinally of the plates, the kernels hopping over the lateralopenings while the chaff and silks fall through the openings.

2. In apparatus for dewatering whole kernel corn and removing the chaffand silks therefrom, the combination of a plurality of plates mounted atan angle slightly downwardly inclined from the horizontal in downwardstepwise relation, a dewatering screen mounted in an aperture in thefirst and uppermost of said plates, each of said plates having adelivery end and a receiving end, the delivery end of each plate beingrearwardly spaced from the receiving end of the next adjacent plateforming a lateral opening between the plates, and means for vibratingthe plates whereby the kernels, together with the chaff and silks, aremoved longitudinally of the plates, the kernels hopping over the lateralopenings while the chaff and silks fall through the openings.

3. In apparatus for dewatering whole kernel corn and removing the chafiand silks therefrom, the combination of a plurality of plates mounted indownward stepwise relation, a dewatering screen mounted in an aperturein the first and uppermost of said plates, each of said plates having adelivery end and a receiving end, the delivery end of each plate beingrounded and having a portion inclined downwardly from the roundedportion and in a direction away from the receiving end of the nextadjacent plate forming a lateral opemng between the plates, and meansfor vibrating the plates whereby the kernels, together with the chaffand silks, are moved longitudinally of the plates, the kernels hoppingover the lateral openings while the chaff and silks fall through theopenings.

4. In apparatus for dewatering whole kernel corn and removing the chaffand silks therefrom, the combination of a plurality of plates mounted indownward stepwise relation, a dewatering screen mounted in an aperture1n the first and uppermost of said plates, each of said plates having adelivery end and a receiving end, the delivery end of each plate beingrounded and having a portion inclined downwardly from the roundedportion and in a direction away from the receiving end of the nextadjacent plate forming a lateral opening between the plates, an upwardlyextending lip formed on the receiving end of each of the plates, andmeans for vibrating the plates whereby the kernels, together with thechaff and silks, are moved longitudinally of the plates, the kernelshopping over the lateral openings while the chaff and silks fall throughthe openings.

5. In apparatus for dewatering whole kernel corn and removing the chatfand silks therefrom, the combination of a pair of vertical parallel sideplates, a plurality of cleaner plates mounted in downward stepwiserelation between said side plates and adjustable longitudinally thereof,a dewatering screen mounted in an aperture in the first and uppermost ofsaid plates, each of said plates having a delivery end and a receivingend, the delivery end of each plate being rearwardly spaced from there-- ceiving end of the next adjacent plate forming a lateral openingbetween the plates, and means for vibrating the plates whereby thekernels, together with the chalf and silks, are moved longitudinally ofthe plates, the kernels hopping over the lateral openings while thechaif and silks fall through the openings.

6. In apparatus for dewatering whole kernel corn and removing the chatfand silks therefrom, the combination of a pair of vertical parallel sideplates, a plurality of cleaner plates mounted at an angle slightlydownwardly inclined from the horizontal in downward stepwise relationbetween said side plates and adjustable longitudinally thereof, adewatering screen mounted in an aperture in the first and uppermost ofsaid cleaner plates, each of said plates having a delivery end and areceiving end, the delivery end of each plate being rounded and having aportion inclined downwardly from the rounded portion in a direction awayfrom the receiving end of the next adjacent cleaner plate, forming alateral opening between the plates, an upwardly extending lip formed onthe receiving end of each of the cleaner plates, and means for vibratingthe cleaner plates in a substantially cylindrical path whereby the.kernels, together with the chaff and silks, are moved longitudinally ofthe plates, the kernels hopping over the lateral openings while thechaff and silks fall through the openings.

7. In apparatus for separating the chaff and silks from whole kernelcorn, the combination of a pair of vertical parallel side plates, aplurality of cleaner plates mounted in downward stepwise relationbetween said side plates, each of said cleaner plates having a deliveryend and a receiving end, the delivery end of each plate being rearwardlyspaced from the receiving end of the next adja cent plate forming alateral opening between each pair of adjacent plates, means foradjusting the cleaner plates longitudinally of the side plates to varythe size of the lateral openings, and means for vibrating the plateswhereby the kernels, together with the chaff and silks, are movedlongitudinally of the cleaner plates, the kernels hopping over thelateral openings while the chaff and silks fall through the openings.

8. In apparatus for separating the chaff and silks from whole kernelcorn, the combination of a pair of vertical parallel side plates, aplurality of cleaner plates mounted in downward stepwise relationbetween said side plates, each of said cleaner plates having a deliveryend and a receiving end, the delivery end of each plate being roundedand having a portion inclined downwardly from the rounded portion and ina direction away from the receiving end of the next adjacent plateforming a lateral opening between each pair of adjacent plates, meansfor adjusting the cleaner plates longitudinally of the side plates tovary the size of the lateral openings, an upwardly extending lip formedon the receiving end of each of the paltes, and means for vibrating allthe plates as a unit whereby the kernels, together with the chaff andsilks, are moved longitudinally of the cleaner plates, the kernelshopping over the lateral openings while the chaff and silks fall throughthe openings.

9. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of aplurality of plates mounted in downward stepwise relation, thedewatering screen mounted in an aperture in the first and uppermost ofsaid plates, each of said plates having a delivery end and a receivingend, the delivery end of each plate being spaced from the receiving endof the next adjacent plate, forming a lateral opening between theplates, and means for vibrating the plates to impart oscillatory motionthereto in a substantially'vertical direction as well as in a directionlongitudinally of the plates.

10. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a pairof substantially vertical side plates, a plurality of cleaner platesmounted in downward stepwise relation between said side plates, each ofsaid cleaner plates having a delivery end and a receiving end, thedelivery end of each plate being rounded and having a portion inclineddownwardly from the rounded portion and in a direction away from thereceiving end of the next adjacent plate, forming a lateral openingbetween each pair of adjacent plates, and means for vibrating the platesin a path about an axis which is substantially horizontal and whichextends transversely of the plates.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 171,502 Catch Pole Dec. 28, 1875 247,629 Garvin Sept. 27, 1881333,911 Adams Jan. 5, 1886 440,460 Boone Nov. 11, 1890 650,138 Smith May22, 1900 719,343 Langerfeld Jan. 27, 1903 741,450 Brennan Oct. 13, 1903856,356 Merrell June 11, 1907 1,353,856 Schlunke Sept. 28, 19202,115,107 Hofield Apr. 28, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date63,063 Germany July 2, 1892

